Superpower religion

Culture | Scientology lives on, thanks to superhero gimmickry | Mark Bergin

Special effects and stunt doubles render Tom Cruise super-humanlike in the mega-star's latest film, Mission Impossible III. Thanks to a new bit of high-priced religious quackery, such fantasy can now extend well beyond the silver screen. The Church of Scientology (CoS), in which Mr. Cruise boasts high-ranking membership, is slated to complete work on a "Super Power" program by next year.

The Super Power operation, housed at the church's massive headquarters in Clearwater, Fla., is designed for such well-endowed practitioners as Mr. Cruise. But while the CoS employs a substantial public-relations department, it has released minimal information on its foray into superhuman powers.

Prominent investor Matt Feshbach, who underwent a trial version of the Super Power program a decade ago, told the St. Petersburg Times earlier this month that he is no longer dependent on his physical senses to perceive reality. He said the heightened levels of awareness wrought by the Super Power program helped him save a young boy from being mauled by a pickup in a Los Angeles crosswalk.